While it may be apparent to most people who have watched the Yankees recently that Orlando Hernandez has emerged as the best starter on the staff and perhaps the leading candidate to start the first game of a playoff series, the right-hander doesn’t want to hear about it.

When approached by a reporter, Hernandez said that he wouldn’t talk about being the ace of the team nor a potential Game 1 starter in the postseason.

But with the way he’s been pitching since rejoining the Yankees, coupled with the woeful results his fellow starters have endured of late, the righthander may soon have no choice but to accept the fact that his position atop the rotation is undeniable.

“I respect everyone’s opinion, but that’s all it is,” Hernandez said through a translator before the Yankees faced the Indians last night at the Stadium.

Hernandez will make his 10th start of the season for the Bombers tonight against Cleveland.

“I’m not the manager,” he said. “I just look at it like I want to pitch well every time I go on the mound and let everything else fall into place.”

So far, it has for Hernandez. He’s 5-0, with a sparkling 2.81 ERA since recovering from shoulder surgery and rehabbing in the Yankees’ farm system.

“You could argue very easily [that he’s the team’s ace],” said John Flaherty. “I don’t know if there’s anything different this tenure than when he first came up [in 1998], but his changeup has become really devastating and his velocity is better now, about 89 or 90.”

With the way the Yankees have stagnated of late and having seen the fast-closing Red Sox inch to within 4½ games in the AL East, Hernandez has had to pick up an inordinate amount of slack for a 38-year-old (at least) hurler who is coming off shoulder surgery.

Despite the predicament the Yankees have suddenly found themselves in, El Duque insists he feels no more pressure on him than he normally does.

“There’s always pressure,” Hernandez said. “It always exists. We all know the lead is shrinking, but that doesn’t mean I do anything different than the way I always do them.”

And he believes too much has been made about the fact that the Yankees’ lead in the division – just weeks ago a seemingly insurmountable 10½ games – has dwindled.

“We all started at 0-0,” Hernandez said. “We’re still ahead of them. There’s no need to worry.”

Hernandez also insists that he’s not very concerned about his health – despite the arm trouble that kept him out all of 2003.

“I’ve worked hard every day since I got hurt and I’ll continue to work hard,” Hernandez said, raising two pairs of crossed fingers into the air. “I feel as good as I can feel and I think I will stay that way.”